Energy drinks caught the eye of regulators some time ago and it now looks like the FDA might finally launch a full scale investigation. After a supposed "link" was found between the drink and 13 reported deaths, the FDA has taken an interest in the product. The Weekly Standard reports on the possible probe and the insanity of singling this product out as particularly dangerous:
The FDA, not known for its sense of humor, is planning a full-fledged probe into the product. But even if this army of professional busybodies finds something to complain about, no amount of regulation can substitute for common sense. Used incorrectly or in excess, pretty much anything can kill you. As reported in Scientific American, several people die every year from “water intoxication” – drinking so much water that your brain cells burst. According to the Book of Odds, a searchable online database of probabilities, an average of two or three Americans are killed every year by vending machines, making them just about as deadly as 5-Hour Energy supposedly is. But so far the FDA has investigated neither Poland Spring nor the death-traps-in-waiting that distribute it.
My father was recently told by his doctor to decrease his coffee consumption because his heart tends to race. Given this fact, if he were to drink a few of these energy drinks, chances are, he'd experience some sort of heart trouble.
While these situations are tragic, especially for those who didn't know they suffered from heart problems, food manufacturers simply cannot account for individual health needs. And while many may avoid these energy drinks because of health concerns, how many of us realize that an energy drink is equivalent to a shot of espresso.
Will the FDA expand their probe to Starbuks and Caribou Coffee? Hey, those are dangerous products being served, right?